Frank Kerr, crew chief of the #47 Bush’s Best Baked Beans/Kingsford Toyota Camry driven by Marcos Ambrose, won his first NASCAR MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award after the #47 team posted an impressive ninth-place finish in Saturday’s Crown Royal 400 Sprint Cup event at Richmond (VA) International Raceway.
Sponsored by global automotive original equipment and replacement parts manufacturer Federal-Mogul Corporation, the MOOG award is presented after each Sprint Cup event to the crew chief whose car posts the largest increase in average lap speed from the first half to the second half of the race while finishing on the lead lap. The #47 Toyota picked up a race-best 0.093 second per lap at Richmond, helping Ambrose significantly improve on his 20th-place starting position.
“This is by far the best Marcos and the #47 team have run all year and it was clear from the start that they had a very fast and well-handling car,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “Frank Kerr really had their MOOG-equipped chassis dialed in for exceptional steering and handling response. In fact, Marcos reported that he was happy with the setup all night long.”
The #47 Toyota quickly showed it was better than its qualifying position as Ambrose advanced to as high as seventh place in the early going. He remained well within range of the frontrunners throughout the night, then made his final charge for a possible top-five finish – briefly holding sixth place – with just over 40 laps remaining. After a series of cautions reshuffled the field, Ambrose was clinging to ninth place with five laps to go and three-time depending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson hot on his tail. The #47 Toyota didn’t falter, however, securing its first top-10 finish of the year and its best-ever performance at Richmond.
“I’m really happy for the team,” Ambrose said. “It’s great to come away from Richmond finally with a top-10 in the bag. I think we are turning the corner now."
MOOG chassis parts help deliver the consistent, precise steering and handling response needed to ensure success in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. That’s why MOOG is the preferred chassis brand of crew chiefs and professional technicians. MOOG products are available through leading auto parts providers and vehicle service providers across North America.
The benefits of MOOG parts and other leading Federal-Mogul repair solutions are at the center of the company’s innovative new "Smart Choice" multi-brand campaign designed to reinforce the message that longer lasting, better performing premium replacement products are today’s best option for professionals and do-it-yourselfers.
For additional information regarding MOOG steering and suspension products, visit the brand’s technician-focused www.moogproblemsolver.com website or contact your MOOG supplier. To learn more about the Federal-Mogul “Smart Choice” campaign, simply visit www.FMSmartChoice.com.
